This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Betting Picks: Expert NHL Bets and Props for Tampa Bay Lightning 
at Carolina Hurricanes 
The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes meet at Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena) in Raleigh, N.C. in the regular-season opener for both teams on Friday night. The game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+/hulu.
The Lightning have been in the Raleigh/Durham area since Monday, as they left ahead of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall Wednesday night just south of the Tampa Bay area. Some of the players actually had homes and property damaged by Hurricane Helene's storm surge two weeks ago, and undoubtedly things were worse with Milton. So, it's no joking matter, but you can't blame these players if they have a little extra disdain for a team nicknamed the Hurricanes.
The Lightning had some players' families and pets travel with the team to North Carolina, while some others evacuated to other areas on their own accord. In any event, these teams were scheduled to play at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Saturday as part of a home-and-home set, but that game was postponed and will be made up at a later date.
Adding to the drama is the fact Jake Guentzel spurned the Hurricanes for a long-term contract, and he was dealt to the Lightning in a sign-and-trade deal. He is likely to receive plenty of boos from the Caniacs. He has big skates to fill, as he tries to replace fan favorite and captain Steven Stamkos.
Carolina also lost Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, but they added Sean Walker while bringing back Shayne Gostisbehere for a second tour with the team. Jack Roslovic also joins the forwards, and the former Ohio State Buckeye gives the team a little sandpaper, too.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (30-20-2, 2.90 GAA, .900 SV%, 2 SO) will get the starting nod for the Lightning. He made just one start last season against the Hurricanes, and it was actually his season debut in a game my son William and I attended. He was born in Florida and is a big Lightning fan. He was thrilled, as Tampa Bay won 8-2, and Vasilevskiy made 22 saves in the easy victory.
Frederik Andersen (13-2-0, 1.84 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO) is scheduled to get the start for the Hurricanes. When healthy, he is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. However, he has had issues all throughout his career staying healthy and whole. He missed four months last season due to an unfortunate blood clotting issue.
The road team and underdog have won four of the past six meetings in this series. However, it's a good idea to back the favorites here, as the Lightning could be a little unfocused given the uncertainty back home.
NHL Money Line Bets for Lightning at Hurricanes
- Hurricanes ML (-130 at DraftKings)
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As far as the total is concerned, while the Over hit in that crazy 8-2 win by Tampa Bay in late November, the Under is actually 3-1-1 in the past five meetings in this series, while going 3-1-1 in the previous five meetings in Raleigh, too.
With Vasilevskiy and Andersen both healthy and ready to roll, and both teams plugging some new players trying to gain chemistry, we could see goals rather hard to come by in the early going.
Let's go low, as we usually see some defensive battles between these teams, especially when the goaltenders are locked in.
NHL Totals Bets for Lightning at Hurricanes
- Under 6 (+100 at Caesars)
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NHL Players Props for Lightning at Hurricanes
When you play an Under, it's not a great idea to play Anytime Goal Scorer (AGS) props, as you're sort of betting against yourself. It's not a recommended strategy. When playing Under totals and player props, it's a good idea to go with saves and/or blocked shots or some sort of defensive stat, although shots on goal can also work.
For the home side, Seth Jarvis took 10 shots on goal (SOG) in three home games last October, going for three or more in every game. While the Lightning did a good job throwing a blanket on him last season, limiting him to five SOG in three games, Jarvo will be looking to make a statement early. At plus money, though, this is a tempting play, so let's roll with it.
- Seth Jarvis Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (+115 at BetMGM)
Looking to the Lightning, as mentioned above, I am not a big fan of offensive stats when playing props, especially when you're backing the Under. However, Brandon Hagel is too good of a value to pass up at even-money. He simply needs to pick up a helper at some point, and you can multiply it by more than 1 1/2 times.
- Brandon Hagel - Over 0.5 Assists (+165 at BetMGM)
